Alhaji Femi Okunnu, elder statesman and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), was Federal Commissioner for Works during the Yakubu Gowon administration. He spoke with reporters last week at the book launch of former Akwa Ibom state governor, Obong Victor Attah, on crucial issues as it affects the nation. TEMIDAYO AKINSUYI brings the excerpts:

Different people have different perspectives of the word resource control. To you, what is the definition of the word resource control?

Resource control means resource control. Each states should control at least 50 percent of its resources. That really is the meaning of a federal system of government. If you can’t control 100 percent, control at least 50 percent which the founding fathers established in 1960. So, I prefer we go back to 1963 constitution which really guided us in a fairly comfortable federal system of government.

The military distorting the constitution to some extent was exaggerated. The problems started with the Constitution of 1979, not about Gowon or Babangida’s government. No, they did their own bit. It was the constitution, those who finalised the constitution. For example, I was a member of the drafting committee of the constitution and I have examined our reports. I have it in two volumes and looked at the area of finance.

Obasanjo’s government did not follow what we recommended. I don’t know whether there was an alteration or an agreement between the constituent assembly presided over by Sir Udo Udoma which examined our reports, but the final product, 1979 Constitution, which Obasanjo signed, to me, is the critical year and critical period when Nigeria abandoned federalism and moved on to unitary system of government. If you have command of finance, what else? In the government I served, Ogbemudia continued to receive 50 per cent from oil, Diete-Spiff of Rivers State was also getting 50 per cent royalty. The only change that Gen. Gowon made was offshore in 1970 to boost federal finance. It means oil extracted in the sea should be for all. It was the only area he intervened, otherwise, on finance, Gen. Gowon followed it as it was enshrined in the 1963 Constitution. To me, the harm was done to the structure of the polity by 1979 constitution, the mistake was also repeated in 1999 constitution. For instance, local government which I am talking about now, it was Gen. Murtala who brought in local government as a national issue during Dasuki Commission. The late Damcida was even accusing Gen. Obasanjo in Abuja in 2005 that it was he who implanted local government as national function. And Damcida came to me and said I was wrong that after the coup of July 29, 1975, he as a permanent secretary was a member of a committee set up by Gen. Murtala Muhammed to look into the problem of local governments before Dasuki came in. The rot started from there but the point is that it didn’t stop with the end of the military rule on September 30th, 1979. It was implanted in the constitution and remained so till today. Another area is judiciary, which we don’t talk about. We have an over-centralised judicial system in Nigeria. Under 1963 constitution which remained till 1979, the federal government was in control of the Supreme Court, there was no Court of Appeal as at that time. There was no Federal High Court. It started as Federal Revenue Court in 1972-73 to help in getting federal revenue to be adjudicated speedily instead of state High Court handling the matter. That was how it started before it metamorphosed into High Court.

Do you think True Federalism committee established by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) will address the issue?

It is not a question of APC or PDP’s True Federalism. It is a question of what the people of Nigeria decides that it should be. it is not for the whims and caprices of political parties. I don’t think the political parties are serious about reestablishing a federal system of government in the country. They are playing a cat and mouse game. Yesterday you are in favour, today you are not. That is what the major parties are doing. Nigerians must take these problems in their hands in order to establish a truly great country. What has Ohanaeze, Afenifere or Arewa got to do with politics? I always believe strongly that all these organisations should stay in the cultural areas, not political areas. They pollute the politics of this country. Ohanaeze, Arewa and Afenifere, Urhobo Progress Union and Ijaw National Congress should leave politics to politicians who actually belong to the different ethnic groups in the country. The All Progressives Congress has membership across the country. The Peoples Democratic Party has membership across the board. They should leave it to political parties to fight these causes of underdevelopment or neglect by the Federal Government in certain parts of the country.



Read more https://independent.ng/afenifere-ohanaeze-arewa-should-stop-meddling-in-politics-okunnu/

This problem stated with afeniferi during Abraham adesanya when thief obj was in power misbehaving, that was when late pa adesanya were trying to caution him..

But ohaneze took it to the highest level when they blindly support corruption instead of to caution ineffectual buffoon.

And Edwin Clark ijaw national council make it a terrorist council.

And is Afenifere still relevant in Yoruba politics today?

buhariguy:
This problem stated with afeniferi during Abraham adesanya when thief obj was in power misbehaving, that was when late pa adesanya were trying to caution him..

But ohaneze took it to the highest level when they blindly support corruption instead of to caution ineffectual buffoon.

And Edwin Clark ijaw national council make it a terrorist council.